One Step Closer revised
by Ryoko Lasgalen
Summary: Is Terry really capable of being Batman without Bruce looking over him? Bruce learns that a little training from him and a strong heart and soul can go a long way.
1. In the Beginning

**Batman of the Future: One Step Closer.**

**By Ryoko.**

**Hey, my other version of this story is totally messed up, so I'm posting it again, PROPERLY :o) Enjoy!!**

**Summary**:  When Bruce Wayne finds himself 7 years in the future, he finds Batman and a group of rebels fighting for their right to live.  They will not give up their fight, but is it already too late for batman?

"Thanks for letting me finish up early," yawned Terry.  He neatly folded the jet black gloves and placed them in the case along with the rest of his gear.  Closing the glass case gently and quietly, he caught the reflection of his mentor and master in the sleek black glass.

"It's a quiet night," said the man, quickly averting his gaze, quickly hiding his scanning of the boy for any injuries which Terry might not be telling him about.  He did that sometimes.  He knew.  He used to do it too.  "Any plans for the rest of it?"

"Yup," an almost wicked smile creped onto the young mans face, " just me, my pillow and the inside of my eyelids for the next eight hours."  The old man couldn't help but crack what resembled a smile.

"Good idea".  The kid had been working hard this past week, then again, he always did, not that he would ever tell him that, and not that Terry didn't endlessly complain.  Besides, they could both do with a rest, and it would give Bruce a chance to figure out what this thing was that Terry had brought back the night before was, and what it did.  He eyed the piece carefully, for the umpteenth time.  

"See ya".  Terry didn't expect a response, which was good, because he didn't get one.  Bruce studied the device in his hand.  He was sure it was meant for Batman to find, it was left at the scene of a break in at Wayne enterprises main offices, but nothing was stolen and nothing had been damaged.  This thing was simply left at the main desk with the alarms screaming all around as if to say '_I'm here, pick me up_'.  It was about the size of a mini disk, it had obviously been made recently, but it had an Aztec design with an eye in the centre.  It's aged stone appearance was convincing to the eye, but was as light as plastic, it was a new form of plastic at that, he didn't need a spectrographic analysis to figure that one out.  He studied it thoughtfully, the eye, the eye, there was something about the eye.  It was beautiful, yes, but, but…Wayne knew there was a '_but'_, he just didn't know what it was, not yet anyway.  To be quite honest, it had him completely dumfounded (not something he was used to and not something he was too happy about).  Maybe it was nothing.  Maybe it was a museum piece that had never been reported stolen or lost?  Maybe it was some high school art project which had gotten ever so slightly misplaced…. enough so to end up in the hands of Batman.  Yeah, right.  This was going to be an all-nighter.

~*~*~*~

"Huh?" he woke with a shudder, he had fallen asleep in his chair again.  He looked at his watch, 7pm, '_Terry should be here any minute_,' he thought to himself.  He '_should_ _be'_, then again, when was the last Time the kid wasn't late?

"I can't believe I slept the whole day" he mentally kicked himself as he waited for the friendly voice of his young protégé to come down the steps behind him-even if it was complaining about Dana, or school, Matt, Max or his mom wanting him home by 10:30.

"_Hmmm_", he reached to switch on the computer-funny that, he didn't remember turning it off.

"What?" the screen didn't come on, could it be broken?  That would have to be fixed, maybe a job for Terry when he _finally_ decided to show up for work.  Yawning, he leaned back and dusted the dust from the control panel off his hands before closing his eyes.

"Dust?" his eyes sharply darted open, scanning the equipment and taking a good look around the cave.

"I'm still dreaming" he said allowed to himself.  The caves looked as if no one had been inside for years.  Everything was neatly in its place, all except for Terry's Bat suit.  He was sure Terry had left it in its stand when he had left the night before.

Thinking for a moment, he took his phone from his pocket and dialled for Terry.  Nothing.  No ringing not lost signal, no anything.

"I don't like it boy" he said allowed.  Silence.  "Ace?" There was no sign of his loyal dog.  He picked up his walking stick and headed for the entrance to the cave.  The door creaked open.  Bruce's eyes widened, he realised his house keeping had been less than perfect since Alfred died, but he was pretty sure there was a wall over there and that the place didn't look like there had been a tornado in the living room.  Speechless, the old man stumbled through the space where his wall used to be and looked into the sky at the blood red sunset.  "What was going on?  What the hell happened?"

~*~*~*~

**Let me know what you think!! :o)**


	2. The future

"What the Hell happened?" he thought to himself as he looked in awe at the sunset.  "How did things get this bad? Was it all my fault?" he cast his eyes down to the cold ground beneath him.  It was not nearly as cold as he felt inside as memories of fear, loss and of pain washed through his mind.  No, Barbara had scolded him enough times about blaming himself for all of this, at least she _did_, before…he felt himself cry, but no tears came to his eyes, there were none left. 

"I thought I'd find you here Ter" came a voice from over his shoulder.  For a moment he had been so caught up in his own mind that it barely registered with him as she came up from behind. 

"It looks nice this time of day Max, it almost makes you forget-" he trailed off.

"Almost."  Both of them let out a sigh.  "Come on in McGinnis, everyone's eating and its freezing out here.  You hungry?"

"Na, think I'll stay here a little longer"

"You ready for tonight?"

"Easy as pie" he smiled.  Max climbed down the stairs leading to the school roof.  It still sent a chill down her spine, the things that had happened in this building, and the reasons they had done so, what they had all been through.  The building had been abandoned and silent for months until they had 'moved in'.  She walked through the corridor, her footsteps echoing off the uncovered stone walls as she walked by.   Two guys were helping an old lady to the hospital ward, and a young kid was running a round handing out extra blankets to those who needed them.  '_The place looks like it could do with a lick of paint_,' she thought smiling.  Sure, it wasn't perfect, but the base; now renamed "Hell High" by the rebels was the safest place for many of these people.  Most of them were homeless, many were sick and dying, and countless more had lost family and friends.  The original idea was Terry's, but he was too busy being the Bat to do much about it.  That's where she stepped in, Max, Mary McGinnis and Barbara Gordon got the refuge going, and it soon became the base for the rebel fighters as well as the hungry and the homeless. The rebel fighters, they were the last hope this city had.  

   Hope.  

   It was becoming a rare thing, it was always something she had turned to Terry for, but she knew she would not be able to turn to him forever, a few months maybe? If he was lucky.  What would she do without hope? What would these people do without a leader?  Without their Dark Knight?

"Hey!! Max!!" Her thoughts were interrupted, but she was almost glad to be pulled away from, she feared that they were getting ever darker as of late and it was scaring her.  She looked to see the source of voice; it was Nelson Nash, 

"I found that part you were looking for, it was just sitting around in the engine of some jokers bike," he laughed.

"Great!"  It was amazing what near destruction could do to people-Nash had proved useful on several occasions, even if he still did do everyone's head in, at least he was still helping.

"McGinnis all set for later?" he asked, sounding much more serious, although there was a tone of worry in is voice.

"Your mom will be fine Nelson" Max reassured him.  If anyone can get that medicine shipment to us instead of the enforcers, our guys can, Terry can, and your mom will pull through.

"I know", he said, "'Cos if she doesn't he's gonna get the ass kicking of a lifetime."  As usual, he stormed off, his face a little more red than usual and like always, his anger spilling over, causing him to ball his fists at his side.  Funny, even after seeing Terry, as Batman in action, he still _insists_ he could beat him if he wanted.  Some things never change.  Max made her way to the infirmary to see if there was anything she could do to help out.

_~*~*~*~_

"All got it?" he asked as he pulled his cowl over his face,

"Yup"

"Sure thing"

"Yes" came the replies.

"Good" said Batman.  In a breath, he went one way; the three men went the other.  Minutes passed as he lay in wait for the truck; minutes that were long and silent.  He reminded himself of the sound of the old mans voice in his ear when he was out on a night like tonight.  Even so many years later he could remember it, he would think of it often.  His thoughts were broken by the rumbling of an old truck rolling down the other wise dead road.  It contained medicine and supplies for the so-called "enforcers".  They had originally been called "Law Enforcers", but who obeys the law anymore? When the "_law_" was that everything belonged to Wayne Enterprises, and Wayne Enterprises belonged to Derk Powers. Powers, or Blight was effectively in control of the city.  Those police officers that weren't corrupt were either dead or doing what they could to help the rebels, even if it cost them their lives, like Barbara.  There was no council, and no government, there was only Powers, and the outside world didn't want to care, too many problems of their own to risk loosing armies in the Hell mouth of Gotham City.  

He could have sworn he heard the old mans voice directing him as he leapt from his position on the second story ledge of the building he was on.  Throwing two batarang through the windshield as he fell, landing on the roof of the vehicle as it skidded to a halt.

"Funny" he said to him self, "I was sure this shipment would have had a heavy escort."  He thought too soon, with that the back doors of the truck smashed open and no less than eight guards jumped from inside, some were armed, some had Venom, and some had been spliced.  "Bingo".  He could see one of the three accompanying rebels in the shadows, he gestured subtly with his hand for them to maintain their position, and they obeyed.  His attention was soon shifted to the fist flying towards his face.  He caught it easily, crushing it in his powerful hand, before running into a nearby garage.

"Coward!" cried one of the guards, "What's the matter Batboy? Weren't expecting us?"  The eight of them fallowed Batman into the building and surrounded him.  Terry took an offensive stance and focused.  Outside, the driver and co-driver were frantically trying to start up the truck and make a quick get away while the Bat had his hands full.  Seven years ago, the Batman would have had enough trouble dealing with any one of these guys, splicers, venom, and top of the range weaponry, which was kind of scary considering two of them were just tossed almost effortlessly out of the garage, crashing through an old boarded up window.  The drivers head quickly shot around, only to be met by a smug look and the wrong end of a sharp fist from one of the rebels, the other yelled and attempted to make a break for it, but soon he was fast asleep next to his companion, courtesy of a second rebel.  Leaving the two on the cold damp sidewalk, two of them jumped into the front seats while the third climbed into the back, closing the heavy doors behind him.  Back in the building, Batman was holding his own quite well, he was now down to four guards, 3 venom users, and one who had been spliced, he hissed through sharp fangs as they prepared to fight.  He spun quickly, raising his leg into the air, his foot connecting with the splicers jaw, before falling to the ground and sweeping his leg behind the guy, bringing him crashing to the ground, aching and cursing.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," he reminded himself as his list of asses to kick was reduced to three.  He blocked a kick as he heard the truck start up outside and make a quick exit.  He smiled to himself before wincing in pain, clenching at his chest momentarily.

"Looks like you lost your prize, bub," grinned the guard as another of his well precisioned, and an extremely forceful and heavy blow was blocked with little less than relative ease.

"You'd think so," remarked Batman with a smile, and no sign of his apparent discomfort before he chopped the guard at the base of the neck beneath his left ear.  Another fell unconscious to the ground.

"Next" he said, his voice toneless and seemingly bored.  The two remaining guards looked at each other, each in the hope that the other would attack the bat before he had to.   Each realised that the other could do nothing and they both made a break for it.

"I don't think so."  They didn't get far.  One swift kick as they ran took them both out.  With that, he was off on the trail of the truck, with a thumbs up to the three in the front seat, he glided gracefully alongside the truck as it headed along the empty road towards the school as the sky on the horizon lightened.

On arrival at the base, they were met with both cheers and tears of joy.  The supplies were badly needed and many thought it would never come, there were a few whose lives depended on it being brought to them soon.  The three men revelled in the praise of those around them, they were as heroes, for a short while at least, until these started to run low.  Batman, however, glided over the heads of the many people and landed on his favourite spot on the roof.  He could hear the cheers bellow him, and smiled as he heard:

"Nice one McGinnis",

"No problem Nelson", he whispered to himself.  He just wished there was something else he could do for these people other than bring them food and medicine.  He wanted to protect them; he could protect them from the enforcers, Jokers which where under Blights wing, he could protect them from the Venom users and the splicers, who did as Blight commanded.  More enforcers.  He could protect them from the police who evicted them from their homes, homes, which they said, were property of Blight, but he couldn't protect them from _Blight_.  Truth be told he was having a hard enough time keeping the "enforcers" from hurting and killing everyone in the city, they had to fight for everything, for food, for medicine, for their lives.  Many were too week to do it for themselves and he had to do it for them, for as long as he could at least.  He would make his predecessors proud of him no matter what.  The old man would be proud, just as Barbara was.  He remembered her words, words spoken only a week before she died.

"_I know Bruce would have been as proud of you as I am_," she said softly, which a few years earlier would have been a bid addition for her to have made. "_I only wish he could see how strong you've become, what you've done for these people._"

"_I don't know if I can do it Barb_" he remembered,  "_I just don't know if I can keep on fighting like this, I don't know if I'm strong enough, I cant beat Blight, so why do I even try?"_

"_Don't, McGinnis, you're the greatest warrior this city has, you're gonna see this through to the end_".  The conversation faded back into the depths of his memory, Barbara believed in him, so did so many others, but they didn't know, Barbara didn't know.  He wanted to tell her, "guess now I'll never have the chance" he thought.

"Terry",

"Max? what's up?" Again, she had managed to catch him off his guard… she seemed to be making a habit of that.  She sounded serious considering all the commotion below them.

"Come with me Ter."  Her voice betrayed nothing of what she was thinking.  

Nothing. 

~*~*~*~ 


	3. In the now

"Max! What is it?" he fallowed her down the stairs and down the corridor, jogging briskly after her.  She turned into a room on the right, which was rarely used, he fallowed after her, pulling off his cowl as he reached to open the door.

"Ma…"He fell silent as he looked in disbelief at what he saw.  Was the figure in front of him real?

"Bruce?" he asked in little more than a whisper, his voice trembling.  Max smiled but Terry didn't see it.

"Terry" said the old man firmly

"Bruce!" his eyes filled with long lost tears, he swiftly covered the few feet between the two of them, throwing his arms tightly around the old man, almost knocking him of his feet.  Max made a soft sound, but Terry didn't hear what it was, she left the room, closing the door firmly behind her.  Terry held the old man tightly, burying his head in his shoulder.

"Well, I don't know what I was expecting, but I don't think I was expecting this" said Wayne.  He couldn't help but be honest.

"I thought I'd never see you again"

"Terry"

"I knew you weren't dead, I knew, I, I thought I'd never see you again"

"Terry"

"Where have you been" he loosened his grip on the old man and stared at him for a moment.  "You haven't changed a single bit," he said in astonishment.

"But you have" said Bruce.  He looked at the boy he had seen only hours ago, but it wasn't the same boy.  His hair was slightly longer, he was much more muscular and he stood eye to eye with the old man.  "His eyes" thought Wayne, they were darker, much more focused, much, stronger.  Over his right eye there was a scar, it was an old scar and it had healed well.  It was strange; he had seen Terry just yesterday, now he had an old scar on his face.  His face, which looked much more rugged but still the same Terry, only older. "How are you Terry?" he said smiling, thinking of nothing else to say to the man in front of him.  Man?  Terry? A strange sensation filled the old mans heart "Batman" he thought as the still vibrant red on Terry's chest caught his eye.  What had happened to the rookie kid who needed his guidance so badly?  The kid who had a lot to learn.

"I'm good," he said, smiling back, "despite everything, Max filed you in?"

"Pretty much, Blight is running the city, this is the Rebel base, the rebels who you are working with to take back the city and protect the citizens, that's about all I got out of her before she went to find you"

"And?"

"And that's it, she left out a few details I take it?"

"Well, not long after you disappeared, blight made an appearance back on the scene. He bought out the authorities, took over Wayne Enterprises and pretty much used the company to take over the city."  Wayne looked at Terry and listened carefully to what he was saying.  "I'm sorry Bruce, I tried, really I did, but I couldn't stop him taking the company"

"Its ok Terry"

"He hired all the Jokers going to work for him, he used splicing and venom to create his 'enforcers', corrupt police, jokers, anyone going who was willing to sit at his right hand rather than lay in his path.  He started clearing the streets of people, driving people out of their homes, taking everything they had for his own" There was a bitter tone in his voice which he did not attempt to disguise. "We try our best, I try my best, but Its so hard just to stay alive, we are hunted every day, most of the rebels have 'warrants' out for their arrest, some have death sentences awaiting them if they are ever caught."

"I take it you're one of them"

"You take right, I was the first, then Barbara, soon after, Max"

"Barb?" 

"Yeah, she was the first, there have been a few since then, me and Max have been lucky, so far" well, Max has, he thought, but he didn't dare tell the old man, not yet if at all.

"What does he want?  What does he expect to gain from all of this?"

"Power"

"Power?"

"Yeah-it's the only thing he cares about, he sees himself almost as a God, he wants everybody else to as well."  Sounded like Powers alright.

"You've had such a struggle, I'm sorry I wasn't here for you" Terry looked up at the old man, but he didn't look at Terry.

"What happened to you?" 

"I don't know, I fell asleep and I woke up 7 years in the future.  I can't explain it, I just don't know"

"Freaky" laughed Terry, Bruce looked up at him,

 "Same old terry" he thought, "managing to put on a smile even after all of this".

"So" he sounded more cheery now.  "Do you want the standard tour? Or you hoping for the detailed one?"

"Huh?" Bruce was a little confused for a second before he caught on to what Terry meant. "Oh, what ever you feel like"

"Down there is the kitchen, the school had one so we figured we might as well put it to good use.  Through here is the hospital wing, we're pretty self sufficient, we have medicine, a blood bank, dentist and they are even capable of performing some major operations"

"Wow" said the old man, who was genuinely impressed as they walked through what was once a high school.  "So you have pretty much everything then"

"Yup, and through here is the best part" he walked across the hall before pushing open the door.

"A games room?" the old man raised an eyebrow at the grinning former teen.  

"Keeps morale high" explained Terry as he waved back at one of the kids playing a video game in the room.

"I can't help notice you are secret identity, or lack of" said the old man as Terry pulled the door closed, realising that Terry was still wearing the Batsuit, but not the cowl.

"There's no point Bruce, besides, people here are more bothered about staying alive that who Batman is, the novelty wears off after a bit, its hard to keep a secret like this when you are with these people all the time, plus, I don't think many people would trust either Terry or Batman if they didn't know why one was running off to and the other knew all the bases secrets without being told".

"What about you mother and Matt?  If Blight wanted to get to you he could go after them…"

"No, I managed to get them both out of the city a long time ago"

"Where are they?"

"I don't know. I kept track of them for as long as I could, last I heard they were in London.  That was 4 months ago, haven't heard since.  With them safe there was no need to keep my identity a secret, there was no one to protect by keeping it.

"I get it, but what happens when this is all over and you have to lead a normal life again?  Do you continue being Batman when everyone knows who you are?"

"Trust me Wayne, I'm not thinking much past the next few months at the most"

"Why?" his question fell on deaf ears, Terry didn't reply.

"So, as you can see we have pretty much everything we need, and everyone, as well as doctors, nurses and surgeons we have teachers, technicians, martial arts and self defence teachers, mechanics, scientists…" Bruce let the question drop, but was curious as to why it went unanswered.  "This is the control room".  It was a large space, but most of it was taken up with computers, machines and monitors. Bruce figured it had been the main hall when the building was still a school.

"Hey Terr" said one of the guys in the room,

"Hey Mo" said Terry.  "Wayne, this is Morris Tibs"

"How do you do" said Wayne.

"Pleased to meet you".  Wayne recognised two of the people in the room, one was Maxine, and one was Chelsea Cunningham, Chelsea waved and Max kind of blinked in their direction to acknowledge them.

"This is Ryu, Ken and T.J," said Terry, introducing everyone to Wayne. "These guys are pretty much the Rebel forces"

"What's left of them" interrupted Ryu.  He was a tall man, Taller than Terry, with dark skin and even darker eyes and dark brown hair.  He looked rough, but Terry assured Bruce he was a good man.  Then there was Ken, he had sleek black hair, which hung, below his ears, he had a pale face with brown eyes and he was much smaller than the other guys in the room.  He smiled at Bruce who returned the gesture, much to the surprise of Terry.  Morris was also a big man, he wore a white tank top with army like trousers, his skin was a light brown and his head was closely shaved.  T.J was shorter than the others with dirty blonde hair; he didn't seem interested in anything other than the blaster in his hand,

"I think I can fix it" he thought allowed.

 "And that's Chelsea" said Terry, I think you already know her."  Wayne nodded his head slightly.

"Hey Ter, nice job on the supplies man" said Ryu.

"Yeah McGinnis" said T.J, Mind you, He's only saying that 'cos he knows _he_ couldn't handle one venom sucking freak, let alone eight".  Wayne Lifted an eyebrow in Terry's direction, Terry was laughing with the others,

"Sure he could" said Terry, 

"Oh, you would stick up for him over me McGinnis, it's because I'm black isn't it?!"  They laughed, 

"Your not Black T" laughed Terry,

"Oh, so now you got a problem with white people?!" shouted T.J, Trying his best not to laugh.  He was failing.  By now everyone in the room was trying little to show their amusement at the argument unfolding in front of them, Max's eyes were starting to water she was giggling so much.  Wayne could see what Terry had meant by morale, it was important to these guys to be able to keep their heads up.

Terry slept like a log, as usual; God knows he needed the rest.  Bruce however lay awake thinking.  What had happened, where had he been for the past seven years?  Why hadn't he changed if he had been gone all this time?  What had Terry been through?  He knew there was something Terry wasn't telling him, but what?  Why hadn't Terry wanted to talk about his future, "not thinking much past the next few months"? What did that mean? That wasn't like Terry.

The next day, he woke to find himself in a sleeping bag with an old pillow and two blankets over him.  It wasn't too comfortable, but at least it was warm.

"Knock knock," he heard a voice as he got up, he opened the door.

"Miss Gibson, good morning"

"Morning, I figured you wouldn't feel much like socialising, so brought you over a cup of coffee.

"Thanks, I appreciate it" She smiled and turned to leave.  The old man thought of how many smiles he had seen since he had arrived, he wouldn't have expected it; everyone was turning into a Terry he thought to himself.  "Do you know where I can find Terry?"

"Sure, same place he always is when he isn't eating or sleeping"

"Oh? And where would that be?"

"Down the hall, take a left then your second right, the door straight in front of you, you can't miss it.  It's a training room; he's been in there 20 minutes already.  Do you want me to tell him you're coming?"

"No, its ok"

"Ok then, but that's where you'll find him pretty much any time"

"HA!" there was a thud, "HAYA", another thud…."HA!"...One _hell_ of a big thud.  Bruce pushed open the door to find Terry going to work on a suspended punching bag-which he noted, looked pretty worn out.  He watched as Terry spun around and planted a kick near the top before landing comfortably and upper cutting the bag several times with tremendous force.   He looked very focused, Bruce noticed because he had never known Terry to be so big on mental discipline.  Sweat glistened on his face and on his bare chest.  He wore a white sweatband on his forehead; his hands and wrists were tightly and neatly taped in white.  His trousers looked to be those of a black gi, around his waste was a red belt, tied neatly but slightly to the side.  He could see more now how much Terry had built up, he still had a lean frame and broad shoulders, but he looked very different.  He had a strong physique before, but what Bruce saw on him now made him think back to his days of twenty something, if he were that age now he'd be quite jealous.

"Max told me I'd find you here" he said finally.

"Remember this?" asked terry, not taking his sharp gaze off his target.  Again he uppercut the punching bag, this time using all the force behind his knees before bringing his left fist from behind his right ear in a smooth motion, swiftly striking bag with the back of his fist.

"Yeah".  Terry moved quickly, going from the swing with his arm, turning his torso then his waste right around before again striking the bag with his left foot.  "So, you remember your training after all this time?"

"Does it ever go away?"

"I guess not"

"And it's a good thing, that move for one has saved my mutt many times, not to mention the numerous others I learned from you".

"Don't mention it" Bruce replied in his usual deep tone.  He watched Terry train, there were times when he was speechless watching the kid, his abilities, his speed his strength, his agility.  "Only one thing" he reminded himself, "He's not a kid".  He was careful not to interrupt Terry's training, but he couldn't help wonder "What's he like when he's angry?"  He wouldn't like to be in his way when he found out, he thought.


End file.
